Submarine grapple



A. J. MAYNARD. SUBMARINE GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, 191-9.

Pa telited Apr. 12, 1921 2 SHEETSSHEET 1- A. J. MAYNARD.

SUBMARINIE GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FlLED. DEC. 11, 1919 1-,$'?4,512. Patented Apr. 12 21.

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Jr Way/ara NORRIS PETERS. NC4. |-'ITNO.. WASHINGTON; D. C.

' AnMoND J. MAYNARD, or WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

sUBMARINE GRAPPLE.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 11, 1919. Serial No. 343,995.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern 7 Be it known that I, ARMoND J. MAYNARD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Submarine Grapples, of which the followmg is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in salvaging apparatus and it isthe principal object of the invention to provide a novel form ofsubmarine grapple ca able of housing an operator or diver and einglowered into engagement with submerged objects,

whereby the same can be secured or connected thereto and then raised tothe surface of the water; the device being of such construction'as toenable the lowering thereof to great depths without danger thereto byreason of the water pressure encountered at such depths.

Another and equally important ob ect of the invention is to provide a'form of protective housing for an operator and from. which the grapplingmeans canbe effectually ac-.

tuated to engage the desired objects.v

The invention consists, furthermore, 1n the novel arrangements andcombinations of the parts of the device, as well as in the details ofthe construction of the same, all of which will be more fully describedin the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clausesof the claim, which are appended to this specification and which form anessential part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved grappling device,

Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a top view of the same,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section therethrough, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in elevation showing the arrangement ofthe grappling means.

In the embodiment illustrated the grapple carrying diving bell includesa housing 1 which is a one-piece structure except for the closure 4thereof. This housing consists of a tapered hollow body compartment 2formed of suitable material to resist water pressure at great depths andis provided at its upper end with a laterally and. outwardly extendingintegral flange 2 which supports an enlarged semi-spherical or domeshaped head 3. This flange 2 also forms an instrutherewith. lower end ofan operating rod 15 extends ment board and is'equipped with suitabletransparent inserts 18 through which the diver may view his surroundingsas will be hereinafter more fully described.

The dome shaped head 3 has a manhole Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

formed in the top thereof to permit the I diver to enter the bell. andthis manhole is closed by a suitable threaded closure 4 which isequipped with a handle 5to facilitate its insertion and removal. Apluralityof apertured lugs formed integral with" the upper portion ofthe head 3 and are engaged by chains 7 secured to a suitable coupling 8with which the free end of a cable 9is connected. This cable 9 isconnected to a suitable lifting ap- 5, three being .here shown, are I ifparatus carried by a vessel and by means of which the diving be raisedorlowered.

Formed integral with the lower end of the tapered body portion 2 are apair of'laterally spaced depending plates 10 having grapple jaws 11pivotally supported between them, said jaws being carried bylongitudinally slotted shanks pivoted at 12 to said plates adjacent thejunction of the jaws A pivot pin 14 carried by the bell or housing 1 maythrough the slots 13 in the shanks of the grapple jaws, said rodextending through an opening in the bottom of compartment 2 around whichis arranged a packing 16 to form a fluidtight'connection where the rodpasses through the housing. :If desired, a handle 17 may be andpreferably is arranged on the inner or upper end of the operating rod 15for operating the grapple.

A plurality of inwardly tapered openings are formed in the lateralflange 2 herein before described and serve to receive the trans parentinserts 18 providing the usual deadlights. Arranged adjacent certain ofthese deadlights 18 are the usual electrodes 19, which are engaged byelectrical conductors 20, thereby affording the ordinary form ofarc-light. It of course will be understood in this connection, that theconductors 20 are extended into engagement with a suitable source ofelectrical energy, not shown.

To facilitate the ascertaining of the water pressure encountered duringthe arranging or submerging of the device in a body of water, a pressuregage 21 is also arranged on the laterally disposed flange and of coursehas suitable connection -with the water.

Further, to enable the operator in thehousing to communicate with aperson on the vessel to which the device is attached, I may andpreferably do arrange therein the ordinary form of telephone 22,engaging electrical conductors 23 therewith, which in turn are extendedinto engagement with a similar device arranged on said vessel.

It will thus be seen that flange 2* which operates to offset the loweredge of the dome shaped head 3 from the upper end of the body ,2 alsoperforms the function of aninstrument board carrying the articles abovedescribed.

In operation, the device is lowered into a body or" water to the desireddepth and the operator, when the object desired has been reached, graspsthe handle 17 and pulls the rod 15 upwardly, thus causing. the jaws ofthe grapples 11 to engage said object. He then signals the vessel bymeans of the telephone 22 in order that the diving bell and the objectengaged by. the grapple may be raised. Necessary light will of course besupplied by the are-lamps 19, which as hereinbefore stated, are arrangedadjacent certain of the deadlights 18 and in this way, the operator ordiver will be enabled to properly position the device with relation tothe object to be salvaged.

Also the device can be constructed more rigid than a form fittingmetallic suit, thereby permitting an operator therein to be lowered togreater depths than is possible when such suits are used. In addition,the position of the grapple enables the operator to pick up submergedobjects without any undue maneuvering of the device for position.

Manifestly, the construction shown is catapered toward its lower end andbeing slightly larger than the body of a man, a,

dome-shaped head carried by-the upper end or said body with an lnwardlyextendlng flange connecting the lower edge of said head with the upperend OTE -S2I1(1 body 015- setting one from the other. and forming aninstrument board, deadlights mounted in sald flange a manhole 1n the topof sald I Q n dome, suspenslon means connected with said dome, and agrapple carried by the lower end of said body and equipped with anoperating rod extending into the body to a position convenient foractuation.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

ARMOND J. MAYNARD.

HEM

